Trickster's trick
by AkayaReallyBites
Summary: Why would Niou want to kill him, when Marui didn't do anything (practically)? Maybe it was one of the Trickster's wicked tricks again...


**Disclaimer:** I don't own Prince of Tennis nor any of the characters

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Marui´s hair stiffened as he felt that lately very familiar gaze on his back again. The weather looked like having a great urge to start pouring huge drops of rain from somehow scary sky. Making this a lot better, Marui forgot to eat all the cake before his training because an especial someone kindly reminded him they were late for practice. What was worse? Having slightly mad Sanada shouting at them for being late for practice or not having his daily amount of sugar? He knew. He knew perfectly well what was worse. And feeling that nerves-damaging stare from that concrete person made his veins swollen just from that thought.

He gritted teeth and decided to ignore it. He didn´t have any special plan how to make him feel the same as he did nor he had any idea how would he make him to realize it either he didn´t know whether he should have any plan in the first place, reminding him that the person was Niou Masaharu we are talking about. Firstly it shouldn´t even enter his mind. But that´s not the point. The point is that Niou successfully proceed to slowly damage his nerves and that Marui was thinking about how to make his life miserable.

He was wondering about it for the full five minutes. On the courts. With his right hand holding a racket. In the middle of a match. Against Yanagi and Kirihara. With another pair of eyes watching him. Eyes that belonged to his captain. Shit.

Yanagi smashed another point at Marui´s left side that was left wide open. Now it was 2-5 to Yanagi and Kirihara pair. Oh yeah, he could feel Yukimura´s stare at him. But no matter how murderous that glare was, the only thing that distracted that only focus he had left was the pair of sharp blue eyes. Damn, if he was going to get killed by Sanada only because of Niou, he was sure as hell that bleached blockhead would get his reward.

When they were called to change court, he clearly heard how Yukimura shouted at him from the bench he was sitting on.

"Concentrate and focus on the play. You are not newbie so I don´t feel like I should be telling you this, but every player knows that when his mind is somehow distracted by some outside-"

"I know! Just let me alone. I know how to play, get it?" Marui annoyingly sipped water from his bottle and then headed off to take a stand beside Jackal, with all his will trying to transform his mind present in the game. Yukimura sat dumbfounded, his eyes following every move Bunta made. He was so not coming out of this that simply, thought as he crossed his arms. He was sure Sanada would take care of this.

Not minding Yukimura, Marui saw an arrogant smirk that was playing on Niou´s lips. Trickster was currently practising with Yagyuu some more racket swinging, because they somehow managed to anger Sanada to the point of perpetual torture, which was, for Niou at least, doing this absolutely useless exercise.

Oh well, thought Marui deep in his mind, I think I have another four games to think about it.

When the said four games went on, by some miracle Jackal and Marui pair managed to win. Due to Yukimura, Marui was able to gain all his focus in the game on the time, which is also very important in a match. Marui didn´t complain. Mainly because he didn´t feel like even listening to him, so he didn´t really care about what he was saying. Instead he used a corner of his eye to unnoticeably watch Niou. Last named boy didn´t finish his amount of swinging (although Yagyuu already did not so long ago) and was lazily swinging as he looked rather annoyed.

Marui frowned. What kind of trick would be useful against a Trickster? Recently he was moving in a dangerous area. No normal person would be really dumb enough to trick Niou. But Marui thought of it as the only possible way how to take revenge on him as equal as Marui´s grudge was.

So... The plan how to destroy Niou Masaharu was-

"Marui!" a slightly annoyed voice disturbed his flow of thoughts.

"Hm?" He turned his eyes towards the voice and he met Yukimura. By the look in his eyes Marui could tell that he drifted away rather noticeably. "What?"

Yukimura audibly sighed and shook his head. He didn´t look angry. He looked like he wasn´t sure whether is worth talking to him anymore.

"Is there anything worrying you? May I help you?" asked him in a concerned voice. Marui narrowed eyes at his statement. ´Help me...´ The first thought that attack his mind was Yukimura riding on a horse, swinging tennis racket and dangerously cornering absolutely frightened Niou. No...

Marui shook his head a bit harshly than he intended. "No, thanks. I am absolutely fine. I just need... some rest." Was the first excuse that went into his brain. Yes, of course. He didn´t eat all of his precious cake and it would be reasonable to want some space for himself to think.

Yukimura looked a bit relieved, but still had his eyes on him. He wasn´t stupid and he knew Marui wouldn´t be this restless and be off guard for no reason. If it was because of some person, who was slowly destroying the peace and habits within the tennis club, let there be hell waiting for him. Or her. Yukimura was sure to use Renji to figure it out.

Marui felt like that little time Yukimura had for thinking was long enough to get himself far from him as fast as possible since he was sure Yukimura could give him some punishment if he wouldn´t vanish. He slowly trickled away from him and changed direction towards a locker room. He wanted to think about it again while he would be changing. Yes, that sounded fine.

He stepped into the room and found it empty. Good, he said to himself. He was glad to have peace at his thinking.

Unfortunately for the red-head, at the same time as his mind was telling him the great plan, someone opened the door and accompanied him. Second that Marui had for turning his head to look at that person was also used for changing the topic of his mind into who that could be. Somehow he had an idea who that could be but a small part of his mind hoped for someone else.

He turned around.

Yup. It was Niou.

Marui´s not-annoyed part of mind was suddenly occupied by new wave of bothering and pestering that gained on its power slowly, but securely. Which resulted into fully upset Marui. He scowled sufficiently to make his eye brows one line. However he noticed Niou narrow eyes.

"Yo," greeted him the taller boy. Marui didn´t answer, his eyes were following every step the other took. "What?" Niou slightly frowned and right after seeing the smaller boy´s expression he restrained himself from another step he planned to take. Nonetheless, It didn´t change Marui´s grimace at all. It made him even more furious.

Niou did look a bit surprised to see him in this state (even more surprised when this state is towards him) and felt a bit offended. Did he do anything to make him made like this? Marui seemed to him like a wild animal that is prying his first victim after long sleep. Niou took a step back. That. This scene would look like Marui frightened Niou, who apparently took a step back to be as far as possible from that maniac, and Niou would be thinking very hard how to escape from this place unharmed and, rather, alive. It seemed like this. But few details shattered this great scenery Marui intended to realize.

First detail was Niou´s smirk that lazily appeared on his lips.

Second detail was Niou´s back negligently leaned against a room´s wall.

The third and last detail was a dangerous glint in Niou´s eyes.

Marui´s eye brows softened its muscles and they lifted themselves into disappointed grimace. Now, that wasn´t going according to his genius-like plan. Maybe it wasn´t that much easy to trick Niou, he said to himself. Fool, said other part of his brain. You said earlier that no normal person would start a trick war against Niou Masaharu. Marui had to agree with it. Maybe he didn´t know Niou long and good enough to proceed something like this.

He sighed and looked up at Niou, prepared to finish this war in a nice way. Nonetheless, the look Niou wore quite distracted him. The taller boy surely looked scary, smirking like this and scowling eye-brows. If Marui didn´t know Niou enough he would start to think of him as a pervert. However, knowing Niou like this is really sufficient to take him as a pervert. But using this in a connection to Niou and Marui was really strange. Maybe Niou wanted him to think like he was observing his body like a pervert. But why would Niou do that? Maybe piss him off completely. To make an absolute idiot out of him.

Yes, nobody has a right to make an idiot out of Marui. He frowned similarly as before and planned to take the first step towards that bleached idiot.

"Oi, Marui. Have a minute?" Called boy stopped on spot. He looked up at him quite confusingly.

"What?"

"Nothing much. Just want to show you something," said nonchalantly Niou and scratched the back of his head. He looked completely uninterested in anything.

"Why?" A certain feel of suspicion crept into his unstable mind.

"Jeez, just something. Wanna go or not? I don´t have time all evening..." Niou rolled his eyes and his look slid from Marui to some stain on wall behind the read-head.

"Is it safe?" asked now wholly suspicious Marui. Niou returned his look back into his previous spot and smirked again.

"Don´t know. It´s on you to decide," he shoved hands to the pockets of his jersey and set his look only on Marui. Last named boy sighed. He didn´t have much choices, did he? If he refuses, Niou´s revenge could be even worse than if he decides to go with him now. On top of that he could have had this settled on as fast as possible. Which was a big advantage when he just wanted to go to sleep without any worry. So he just shrugged and nodded without any preparations how to protect himself against the Trickster, no matter what kind of wicked trick he had planned on him.

Niou nodded as well as stepped out of the room first. When he was sure Marui was with him, he led the two of them around school tennis courts and athletic track towards some place Marui had a feeling wasn´t anywhere safe.

There were trees, flowers, pebbles, some rivers, wild animals, domestic animals. By the end of the route, which took at least 5 minutes to reach, Niou finally stopped. Marui, more or less one step behind him, stopped as well. The taller boy didn´t turn around to check whether the red-head is with him. He just stood and felt the wind fluttering all around him. Marui didn´t see his expression, but he was sure it was something indicating anything but good.

The mood slowly changed. It changed so unnoticeably, that even the two of them couldn´t properly notice since Niou´s attitude suddenly softened and his arrogant posture slouched a little.

"Niou?" Marui called his name carefully. He knew Niou could be unpredictable and was only matter of time when he would be capable of doing something dangerous.

Niou didn´t react. He lifted his head a bit only to taste the chilly wind that made them feel rather cold.

Marui wanted to call his name again, but other voice disturbed him.

"Isn´t this place nice?" asked nonchalantly the taller boy as he finally turned around and look at Marui into the eyes. The smaller boy blinked. He didn´t understand why Niou didn´t look like a psychopath anymore. That scared him.

"Yes. It´s nice," he decided to comply with him. He didn´t have any idea what could be maddened Niou able to do.

Marui was looking into his eyes as well. He tried to figure out whether he looked as dangerous as before. But few things were wrong. Yes, his posture was different, he already noticed that. Other things were there, but at the same time they maybe weren´t there. That wicked glint in his eyes somehow disappeared, his eyebrows weren´t frowning and his conceited smirk vanished. Instead there was a normal smile which was almost unfamiliar to Niou´s face.

His heart sank a little. He was so dead. Normal Niou was way more frightening than any of the scariest tricks the Trickster could think of on Halloween.

He gulped. Damn, if he decides to run away, Niou would probably didn´t have any problem with catching up with him. If he decides to stay like this, maybe his death wouldn´t be as painful as if he´d decide for the first option. Nonetheless, he was there and he was staring at his (at least at that time for sure) one of the biggest fears. _Oh God, how am I supposed to get out of this?_

Niou seemed like he read his thoughts. "You have no reason to be afraid, don´t act like a kid," said lazily and Marui saw him roll his eyes once more.

"I´m no kid. Damn Niou, just tell me or do to me whatever you need and let me go. You´re giving me creeps..." Marui shivered and pulled his thin Rikkai jersey tighter. When this was over, he was sure as hell to tell Sanada to make him run laps until he couldn´t properly think.

"Okay, as you wish. Close your eyes."

Marui´s eyes shot wide open, fear clearly radiating from them.

"What?" asked apparently frightened to death Marui. Once Niou had decided to injure or to find another way how to harm in, he was sure to have his own precious eyes opened. He wanted to see his own death.

"Jeez, just close them already. You´re getting on my nerves..." Niou seemed to be a little... nervous? Or just really excited to harm him so he couldn´t wait anymore? Marui´s heart beat like during a marathon. _Oh no, what he had prepared for him? He kicks him into the mud?_ He closed one eye. _He smacks him onto his head with a branch?_ He closed the other eye. _He beats him into stomach and then left him to his own fate?_ He heard and felt at the same time Niou coming nearer to him. _Or maybe he whips out a knife and stabs him?_ He felt him so close that he could absorb the warmth from the other boy. _Oh God. He knew what he is going to do to him. No knife, no branches. He shows off his two huge fangs and bites him so he would turn into vampire and then the two of them would chase-_

His incoherent flow of thoughts stopped as he felt something warm on his lips. That something lasted there long enough for Marui to apprehend what it was. His heart stopped, his mind went blank and his legs turned into pudding. Also his whole body felt a little warmer than usual. Maybe it was thanks to Niou´s arms lightly embracing him? All what Marui could think of was that he didn´t know what to do. His eyes flew open the moment he fathomed what was Niou doing to him, but still he didn´t do anything. He let his arms by his sides, not really sure what he should do, well, whether he decided to do something at all. Whether he would shove him off or to pull him closer. Everything played inside his mind while Niou was kissing him. He just waited. Waited for Niou to explain what the heck was doing.

At least ten seconds went on when Niou finally leaned back and looked into the eyes of very flushed and very embarrassed Marui. Niou´s cold hands travelled up to the other boy´s face and cupped it. Marui was only able to blink.

Because Marui hated the silence, he knew perfectly well what to say.

"What the hell Niou you think you just did?" He murderously blinked once again, but that didn´t stop Niou from touching him.

"I don´t think even you are that stupid to not get that... Bunta-chan," added wickedly and smiled at furious face of that absolutely cute boy in front of him.

"Niou Masaharu," he grabbed his hands and harshly shoved them off of his face, "You better think how to explain it before I figure out a way how to kill-" His words were silenced again by the same method Niou used before. The only difference is that Niou used an old fence lining the road as a supporting wall and pressed Marui´s back against it. He leaned over him and was kissing him more roughly than before. The read head protested, but had to calm down a little when one of Niou´s hands touched his cheek and the other caressed his hair only to disappear into the red locks.

Marui found himself in quite an unenviable situation. Should he kick him (that place was quite near his left leg)? Or should he comply with him? He didn´t like the feeling being pinned against an old fence, but being pinned down by Niou after some time didn´t feel that bad. Despite the cold weather this felt really warmer. What – he might enjoy it? Oh god, no! He didn´t like Niou. Niou wanted to kill him in the first place, didn´t he?_ Really? Then why he is kissing you, you idiot?_ Marui´s other part of brain had a point. Why? Is it possible... Really? Marui looked at Niou´s eyes. They were closed and all his face was covered in calm. For the first time ever Bunta thought of him as a fine boy with very handsome features. He shrugged. So what? What can I lose? He asked himself, knowing the answer perfectly. He closed his eyes and relaxed. He melted into that feeling and touched Niou´s back, slowly pulling him closer. He felt Niou smile a little into the kiss, which made Marui´s heart skip a beat. Oh God, great. But... wait a little. Maybe coming with him wasn´t a bad idea. Yeah, he thought. Maybe this is better than the half a cake that yet is waiting to be eaten.


End file.
